Top 10 women track stars
With every competition comes new records and individuals who set them. However, some runners have set a high and unique standard that keeps them improving yearly. Here are the top 10 female track stars in the globe:
1. Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce
35-year-old Shelly Ann was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on December 27, 1986. She started running barefoot as a young girl and won her first bronze medal 16 years after participating in inter-secondary competitions. Today, the famous woman track star is the single 10-time World Champion. Shelly is the only Jamaican athlete to become an Olympic medalist twice when her country won Gold, Silver and Bronze in the 100 meters at the Beijing 2008 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The track star is a mother of one, and her record currently stands at 10:60s. She became the first Caribbean woman to win 100 Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Additionally, in 2013 she was the first woman to win the 100, 200, and 4*100 relay races at the I AAF Championship.
2. Shericka Jackson
Shericka is a Jamaican sprinter who runs 100, 200, and 400-meter races. Born on July 16, 1994, Jackson is recognized as the second-fastest runner in the 200-meter race, with a time of 22:45s. She is also one of the few women who have run the 400-meter race in under 50 seconds.
The Jamaican sprinter started her track career in the 400-meter category. She won bronze medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2015 and 2019 World Championships. Shericka began participating in the shorter sprints in 2021 and has excelled in these too.
Before the World Athletics Championships in 2022, the runner crowned herself the national champion in the 100 m and 200 m at the Jamaica National Trials. She clocked 10.77 seconds in the 100 m and 21.55 seconds in the 200-meter.
3. Elaine Thompson -Herah
Elaine was born in June 1992 in Banana Ground, Jamaica. She represents female track stars' black magic and was the first Jamaican woman to win two gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The athlete was raised by her grandmother, and unlike several sports personalities, her initial performances at Manchester High School were dismal. As a result, she was kicked out of the team and could not participate in the senior competitions. However, the tide changed when she joined the university. Thanks to her trainer, Francis, Elaine won a silver medal at the World Outdoor Championships in Beijing. At the Jamaican Olympic trials, her 100 m record was 10:70 seconds.
4. Lynna Irby
Lynna is one of the female track and field athletes from the United States of America. She was born on December 6, 1998, and competes in 100, 200 and 400-meter races. Irby started running as a young girl. At 12, her record was 54:57 in a 400-meter dash. While in high school, the runner won the Gatorade Player of the year for the state of Indiana in 2015 and 2016. Irby performed exceptionally at the 2016 World Junior Championships, including a gold medal in the 4*100 and 4*100 mixed relay. Moreover, Lynna bagged two silver medals at the 400-meter race. She is a two-time World U20 Olympic Champion and a one-time Pan-American Games winner.
5. Faith Kipyegon
Faith Kipyegon is one of the top female track stars specializing in 1500-meter. The Kenyan athlete is one of the women track stars whose impressive performances have set her as one of the top track runners. Kipyegon was born in January 1994 in Bomet, Kenya. She made history by becoming the second woman to win back-to-back titles at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics. She is also acknowledged as the greatest female 1500-meter runner in history.
In 2011, Faith won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the World Youth Championships. She also came first at the 2017 World Championships, making her the third woman in history to win both the Olympic and World Championships 1500-meter race.
6. Shannon Rowbury
Shannon is one of the famous US female track stars, born on September 19, 1984. The middle-distance runner is from San Francisco, California, and is a life-long advocate for women in sports. Rowbury went pro in 2007 and represented her country in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics. Shannon broke a 32-year 1500-meter record in 2015 when she ran in 3:56.29.
After delivering her firstborn child in 2018, Rowbury returned to competitions and qualified for the USA Olympic Trials, setting the Masters American Record 5k Title, 2019, in 15:43s. Shannon is the second American woman, after Mary Slaney, to hold the U.S. 1500 m and 5000 m records simultaneously.
7. Sydney McLaughlin
Sydney is an American sprinter who specializes in 400-meter races. She was born on August 7, 1999, to her parents, former athletes. At 16 years old, the runner participated in the Rio Olympics and finished 16th, so she did not proceed to the semi-finals.
She was the youngest athlete to qualify for the American track team since 1980. Her hard work and consistency paid off at the 2019 World Championships when she won a silver medal in the 400-meter hurdles. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Sydney won the 400-meter hurdle race after finishing at 51.46. She also won a gold medal in the 4*400 meter relay dash. Besides her speed on the track, the runner is also a beauty to behold. According to thethings.com, McLaughlin is one of the hottest female track stars, thanks to her stunning physical appearance.
8. Emma Cob urn
32-year-old Emma Jane Cob urn is one of the greatest US women's track stars, specializing in the 3000-meter Steeplechase. At 21 years old, she was the youngest American to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games. In 2012, she competed in the London Olympics, finishing eighth. The sportswoman continued to hone her skill and, in the following year, took home a gold medal from the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Today, Emma boasts 11 gold medals from various global competitions. She also participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics, bagging a bronze medal. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she was disqualified from the 3000-meter Steeplechase for stepping off the track after stumbling over the barrier in the last lap.
9. Gabrielle Thomas
Gabrielle is an American athlete born on December 7, 1996, in Atlanta, Georgia. She has African-American and Nigerian ethnicity. Gabrielle is a Harvard University alumni who graduated with a degree in Neurobiology and Global Health in 2019.
The athlete started running in high school and became the MVP (Most Valuable Player) for four years. In 2017/18, while in the university, Thomas became the first Ivy League to get to the NCAA (National College Athletics Association) sprint final and win the National Championships in a record 22:38s. Moreover, she was the first female athlete sponsored by New Balance Athletics, a sports footwear and apparel manufacturer. In 2021, an MRI scan revealed that the athlete had a tumor in her liver and had to take a break from running. Thankfully, she returned to the track and broke a 200 -meter record by competing at 21:61 seconds.
10. Abby Steiner
Abby is an American track and field sprinter born on November 24, 1999. The former University of Kentucky student started her career while a student, setting records in the 100 and 200-meter races. She became the sixth-fastest 100-meter runner in college history after finishing in 10:92 seconds. She is also a member of the 4*400 relay team.
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